Quick Start Guide
Introduction
MultiBrowser is a comprehensive cross-browser testing solution that enables web professionals to conduct website tests in a more thorough yet convenient manner. With MultiBrowser, you can perform the following:
- Automated functional testing using Selenium (coming soon)
- Real cross-browser testing with multiple browsers side-by-side on a single machine
- Intelligent screenshot comparison testing
- Grading of web page against multiple performance metrics for performance optimization
- Previews of responsive web designs on multiple platforms and display resolutions
All of the above features can be enjoyed securely in your local development/staging environment without the need for tunneling into 3rd party cloud testing providers or maintaining a multitude of virtual machines!
To achieve the above, MultiBrowser provides the following tools:
Real Standalone Web Browsers
MultiBrowser uses Standalone Browsers to enable you to test websites with different browsers locally on a single machine.
Standalone Browsers are virtualized web browsers that run from a single binary file without the need for installation. These browsers intelligently manage resources between their hosts and themelves, which allows you, for instance, to run multiple versions of IE concurrently on a single machine.
MultiBrowser Browser Downloader
To use these Standalone Browsers, you first have to download them with the MultiBrowser Browser Downloader.
Select the browsers you would like to install and click "Start" to install your desired Standalone Browsers on your machine.
Note that the program hides older, "legacy browsers" by default, but you can check the "Show Legacy Browsers" options to view them.
Afterwards when the download is complete, launch the Standalone Browsers by either clicking their respective options in the Start Menu, or use the MultiBrowser Browser Launcher.
Please note that the first time a browser is launched it will be a little slower as it first has to extract its files and create a temporary storage location,
Also, be mindful of launching a large number of standalone browsers as it will require a lot of machine processing.
MultiBrowser Browser Launcher
The MultiBrowser Browser Launcher provides a convenient means to launch one or more browsers in one go - just select the browsers you would like to launch, enter the desired start URL, and click the "Open Browsers" button.
Outside of launching Standalone Browsers, it is also possible to launch "local browsers", or browsers that are installed locally on your machine.
The MultiBrowser Browser Launcher also provides options to clear the Standalone Browser temporary files (File > Clear Temp Files) and if needed, configure proxy settings (File > Proxy Settings).
The MultiBrowser Responsive Design Tester is an utility for previewing websites across a multitude of browsers and platforms.
The interface is similar to the MultiBrowser Screenshot Viewer, and the steps to request screenshots are similar too - enter your desired URL, select your desired platforms and click "Take Screenshots" to dispatch the screenshot requests.
The "Add Custom Device" pane allows more devices to be added to the list of test platforms, allowing you to further customize the test to suit your requirements.
MultiBrowser Mobile (iPhone, Samsung, Sony) & Tablet (iPad, Samsung) Emulators
The MultiBrowser Mobile(iPhone) and Tablet(iPad) Emulators provide a convenient means of emulating Apple iPhones and iPads on Windows machines.
To navigate, enter your desired URL in the address bar, and the respective webpage will be displayed in the emulator.
Emulator options, including those to show the address bar, scale the emulator, and configure proxy settings, are acessible through the top menu.
The MultiBrowser Mobile and Tablet Emulators also come with a full-featured Webkit-style developer tools that allow for easier debugging. The tools can be accessed through the "Show Debug Console" option in the top menu.
